Of The Fallen
by Leah Chae
Summary: Kagome is a normal girl, desperately trying to pass her college entrance exam, but all of that comes to a grinding halt when she finds a beautiful stranger dying on her doorstep... I/K M/S
1. Chapter 1

Blanket Disclaimer for Entire Story: I don't own Inuyasha.

_Of Strangers in the Dark_

Kagome tossed her pencil to the table roughly and stretched her arms above her head, arching her back to loosen the kinks. Frustration and fatigue palpated just behind her eyes, causing pain to radiate outward to the rest of her head. She glanced over to her alarm clock almost afraid to look at it, ugly red numbers glared back at her. Groaning she flopped back down onto the desk. She'd been hunched over her practice sheets for more than two hours. 

She sighed and looked out at the night sky through the single open window. She hadn't seen a single star through the glass in her entire life, the lights from the city below didn't allow them to shine. Her eyes moved down to her algebra book, she willed it to spontaneously combust and go up in tendrils smoke. She realized right there she needed to seriously take a break from arithmetic. She lifted her aching body off of the chair stiffly. She inched down the stairs and made her way to the wraparound porch of her family shrine. As soon as she opened the sliding door, a warm, comforting breeze floated through her hair. The smell of jasmine hung sweetly in the air. A soft smile graced her lips as she let the tension from studying melt away from her as she walked outside.

She let her eyes rise back up to the endless sky. The only thing she could see from the heavens was the moon, nestled quietly in its velvety black abyss. It was full this eve and it flooded her world with a soft ethereal light. Peace flowed through her as the soft hum of cicadas reached her ears.

She'd gone out barefoot, loving the way the cool earth felt under her feet. She made her way over to the Goshinboku absently, watching its magnificent branches sway gently in the breeze as if dancing in delight at her arrival. She took a deep breath, loving it when she could steal a moment in time that was all her own.

As she came upon the massive trunk of the five hundred year old tree she noticed something odd about its shape. She slowed, suddenly wary of what it was, a chill spiraled down her back, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She squinted to make it out, cursing herself for not bringing an emergency light. Then the tree shifted again, allowing moonlight to filter down through its leaves.

Kagome stifled a horrified gasp behind her hands. Pure, undulated terror froze the blood in her veins.

Pale skin glistened in the light of the moon, a stark contrast to the dark flow of liquid burbling up from gruesome wounds. Long, powerful limbs were sprawled out across the ancient tree's gnarled roots. A strong hand unfurled on the ground, dried blood and dirt embedded underneath the fingernails. An achingly beautiful face was turned up into the heavens, unmarred but for a few insignificant abrasions. Long hair, virtually colorless hung loosely to be toyed with gently by the wind.

"_Oh my Gods…" _The exclamation had slipped passed her lips unbidden, dread rushed through her with every beat of her heart. She couldn't breathe, her chest constricted painfully with absolute panic. Her stomach churned dangerously as her wide eyes couldn't tear away from the _dead_ man in front of her.

Then his thickly muscled chest hitched, desperately trying to drag air into his dying body. Hope flared in her chest spreading sudden warmth through her cold, stiff limbs spurring her into action. _Maybe he's not dead…_ Her mind whispered at her. She desperately stumbled to her knees, crawling over to him, she felt for the man's pulse at the juncture of his neck. She winced as she made contact with his skin, it cold, no warmth from life at all. Tears formed in her eyes as she felt desperately for any sign of life. She had to push fairly hard to find one, but it was there, faint and sporadic. 

She leaned back, her hands shaking violently. A numbing sigh of relief escaped from her, but it was quickly silenced as one of his hands flew up to grab her wrist. He dragged her to him with an incredible strength that no dying man should ever posses. She noticed then how large he was in comparison to her slight frame, she was nearly on top of him and still he seemed to engulf the space. Even on death's door he could easily snap her wrist, not to mention her neck, in two. Her heart sank low in her belly as she stared into the man's wild face.

"What are you doing, woman?" He gritted out, his lip twisted into a snarl, exposing a pair of sharp canines.

His straight rather arrogant nose was less than inch from hers, the intense gold of his eyes burned into her, making her shudder. Even in the lacking light it would be hard not to notice his furiously flashing eyes. He smelled of copper and infection, it caused her stomach to roll viciously.

"I-I live here… I was walking and found you. I need to go get an ambulance." She stammered out in a whisper. She dared not move, for fear of him freaking and killing her on impulse.

"No hospitals." His grip loosened, falling limply to the side. His eyes slipped closed and his body visibly relaxed, his chest collapsing with a long breath.

"Oh my god, I have to go call nine-one-one!" She went to go stand up when his hands were on her again, gripping both of her upper arms, his fingertips digging into the soft flesh there. She flinched from the sharp pain but didn't look away from his serious face.

"I said _no_ hospitals!" He growled at her, his eyes trained on her scared face, clear and amazingly focused. 

"But- I can't… I need to get you to the emergency room! You're going to die!" She shrieked, she could feel the hard length of his body through her pajamas, his skin like ice where it met with hers. Something in her was screaming at her to save him and she was inclined to go with it.

He leaned forward, favoring his wounded side, _"No."_ The tone was absolute. Final. The look in eyes clearly conveyed his choice. It would be death before it would be the hospital.

"_Fine, you ass!"_ Frustration and stress got the better of her as she snapped at him, her eyes lighting sharply with anger. She could've sworn she saw his lips lift in a small smile. Well, she didn't think this was a laughing matter what-so-ever. She got up and secured her footing against one of the trees massive roots, she needed to get him into the house.

"Can you stand?" She asked roughly, unable to wash away her clear panic over the situation.

His eyes cracked open and he nodded faintly. He grimaced as obvious shocks of pain rippled under his skin. He leaned heavily on the tree for support, but managed to get to his feet. She shifted over and maneuvered her body to his side as a crutch. Letting his arm come across her shoulders, they made their way, one agonizing step at a time, to her kitchen door.

As soon as they entered the residence she started screaming at the top of her lungs for her mother. The boy at her side suddenly collapsed as his knees could no longer hold the weight of his body. Kagome was almost dragged to the floor with him, but fought to keep her feet planted. Desperately she held onto him, not wanting him to hit the cold wood floor.

"Damnit…" She heard his groan, he was gripping his badly bleeding side, more blood flowing from the wound, covering his hand and running down his jeans.

"_Mama!"_ She hadn't realized how much of his own body he'd held up until now. She heard a flurry of footsteps as her entire family came rushing down the stairs. Light flooded the interior, causing Kagome to wince as her eyes suddenly adjusted to the brightness.

"_Oh my…"_ She heard her mother's horrified whisper. She was familiar with the shock of seeing this boy's bloodied body. She watched as her little brother and grandfather clamor to a stop behind her mother, twin looks of surprise written in every crease and curve of their countenances.

"Don't just stand there!" She hollered at them, her legs were starting to shake under the pressure of holding him up.

Her younger brother bounded out and took his right flank, taking half the battle off of Kagome's hands. He grabbed the strangers arm, throwing it over his shoulders, and lifted his body up.

"Aaahhh…." The stranger gasped out, the pull on his wounds must have been excruciating. Kagome's grip on the man tightened. Her heart contracting at his obvious discomfiture.

"We need to call the police! Where did he come from?" Her grandfather demanded as he made a move to the phone.

That instantly got the attention of their wounded guest, "_No!_ No cops! No hospitals!" He attempted another round at holding himself up, a valiant effort, but one made in vain as his knees buckled under his own bodyweight.

"Son, I can't possibly let-"

The boy planted his feet firmly on the ground, taking his full height, nearly a foot on Kagome, and she'd always been considered tall. Despite his brilliant act, Kagome was close enough to feel his entire body quaking from the pain of his massive injuries. A trail of blood was left in their wake and it was once again gathering beneath him. Her eyes flew wide, turning them on her stunned Grandfather, silently pleading him to stop. He paused at his granddaughter desperate face, torn between calling for appropriate help or his gut.

"_No. Hospitals."_ The sound that immerged from him was not human, purely animal. It caused a case of goose bumps to run over Kagome's skin.

That instantly broke through to Kagome's mother. Fumiko went to the kitchen cupboards and started barking out orders. "Kagome, Souta, I need you to move him into the living room. Grandpa, roll out a mat for them to lay him on. If he doesn't want to go to a hospital, that's his choice, but he's bleeding all over my freshly washed floors. And I'm not having him die in this house."

They all stood there for a moment, stunned by the woman's sudden change in direction. Even the stranger had to stare at the woman almost curiously, albeit behind half open eyes.

She looked up from her task of putting steaming water into a pan to see them all watching her. "Now!" The demand brooked no room for aguements 

It was just what they needed to kick start them into gear. Since the man was on his feet, maneuvering to the next room was much easier than it had been getting him into the damn house. With the help of her brother she gently lowered him onto the mat that their grandfather had laid out for him. His jaw was clenched tight keeping at bay what she knew had to have been a scream of pure agony. Souta brought down some linens and a pillow from the hall closet as instructed by grandfather.

"Kagome get in here, I need you to help me carry in these supplies." Her mother called out to her, Kagome ran into the other room the lingering panic instilling an extra urgency into her step.

She grabbed the large bucket of water as her mother picked up gauze and other various antiseptics and tools. They'd always had a large number of first aid supplies in case one of the guests visiting the shrine needed something. They all knew how treacherous the steps at the front were, as they all had taken a spill from time to time.

It took several trips for Kagome but she eventually got everything they'd need, her mother had already been kneeling next to the bloodied young man. They worked busily around him, all of them tending to him in some way. Fumiko started in on his wounds, she had to use a pair of scissors to cut off the remnants of his shirt. It exposed the full extent of his injury. There were actually four punctures in a crescent shape along the entire left side of his shoulder front and back, almost like something had bitten him. The wounds weren't clean in the least. It looked like someone had taken a dull serrated kitchen knife and proceeded to stab him repeatedly, making a game out of the neatly spaced mark. The black puss was still slowly dripping from the two biggest openings on his chest. Fumiko's expressions mirrored everyone's in the room, a strange mix of disbelief, horror and disgust the most prominent. 

"Gods, _what_ happened?" She took a towel and dabbed at the opening, hoping to clean out some of the dark ooze so she could better see what she was working with.

His yelp of pain was almost unbearable for Kagome. She cringed as she watched him open and close his hands spasmodically, his eyes were closed tightly, his mouth pulled up to expose his teeth locked together tightly. Instinctually she reached out and grabbed his hand. He clutched at it for dear life, like a drowning man at sea. He cracked his eyes opened to look at her, they were glazed slightly, but the look of gratitude did not fall short on her. Kagome picked up a damp towel and started to wipe his brow, cleaning off the sweat and blood. She whispered soothing words to him as her mother continued to work.

Fumiko had been a pre-med student before she'd met her father. They'd graduated and gotten married right after college. Kagome was suddenly glad for her experience. It took nearly four towels to wipe off all the blood and puss before they could even start to stitch him back together. Fumiko had to sterilize a stitching needle threading it with fishing line; it was all they had on hand. Luckily the family had kept all of her old medical kits, just in case of emergencies. It was the best thing to do as it was hard for medical staff to get up the nearly one hundred stairs to the top of the shrine. 

"Kagome I need you to do me a favor." The look on her mother's face was nothing Kagome had ever seen before. Her brows were pulled tight over her eyes; she was so focused on her patient that she didn't even glance up at her daughter's face.

"I need you to go into the kitchen," She continued, "And get that bottle of rubbing alcohol."

She didn't even nod, slowly removing the man's death grip on her hand with a pang, she got up and fetched it hurriedly from the cupboard. "Here." She shoved the bottle at her mother. 

Fumiko took it and grabbed another clean towel. "Open your mouth for me." She instructed, her face softening as she spoke to him in gentle hushed tones. He did as he was told and she shoved the towel between his teeth. "This is going to hurt." She gave a quick apologetic look, the tipping bottle poised over his chest.

He nodded and physically braced for the pain.

She dumped the bottle over the openings in his chest, letting it wash over the entire area.

The scream Kagome had been expecting never came. Instead he let his nothing escape his mouth, but the look on his face sent chills over everyone. The absolute torture in his eyes brought tears to her eyes. An overwhelming need to comfort him had her sinking back to her knees beside him, brushing his hair back from his face and shushing him, her lips close to the shell of his ear. "It's over, it's over." She told him again and again. She felt his head lean into her soothing touch, relaxing as his body was pushed to his pain threshold.

It wasn't over however. They'd just started in fact.

As soon as the needle pierced his red, fevered skin, it was all the pain his body could take. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slipped into a merciful exhausted sleep. Kagome leaned over him and continued to wipe his face and chest, trying to clean up some of the dried blood on his otherwise flawless skin. She couldn't help but wonder who this stranger was, he was certainly handsome. She noticed small markings in his skin then, along his hair line and across his cheekbones. They were only slightly raised and off color by a shade or two from the rest of skin, kind of like a scar. They were delicate swirls, as brilliant as if they'd been painted by the hand of the Gods, and as beautiful as the rest of him.

They continued to toil over him for nearly three painstakingly slow hours; the boy was bandaged and resting. Kagome was still kneeling beside him, tending to him in any way should could. She'd washed his hair and put a bandage over the rather nasty cut above his temple. His hair was thick and smooth now, and his face was no longer contorted in pain. They'd have to keep an eye on him, especially for signs of fever, which was an indication of more infection. Fortunately what had been there hadn't spread to the rest of his body and after a thorough cleaning even the wounds had calmed. They'd also inspected the rest of his body for minor abrasions and bruises. They patched him up where he'd needed it, smearing antibiotic ointment on some of the smaller ones.

Fumiko walked into the room and nudged Kagome to join her in the kitchen. She handed her a cup of tea and they both settled at the table. Along the horizon the first rays of daylight started to peak, casting a lovely light pink color into the sky.

"Where did you find him, Kagome?"

"Under the Goshinboku. It was horrible to see him over there. He wasn't awake so I thought he was a corpse." She shuddered at the fresh memory. "I don't know how he lived let alone walked up here like that…"

Fumiko nodded, exhaustion lining the creases by her mouth. "I've never seen anything like that, not even in my early days at Tokyo U."

"You did an amazing job though Mama." She reached over and laid a hand over her mothers, grateful that she was there.

She smiled sheepishly at that. "Thank you, it's been a very long time since I'd done anything close to that."

Kagome made a face, attempting to lighten the mood. "Not too long, Souta is still prone to his occasional cuts and scrapes."

Fumiko laughed. "True. Nothing to that extent though, thank God."

Kagome nodded and turned over her shoulder to look at him again. She could see his outline under the covers they'd laid a top him. He looked so peaceful now that he wasn't in all-consuming pain. "I wonder who he is."

The infection they had all thought would die a quiet death came back with a spiteful vengeance. It started off as a small fever, then a batch of minor chills but progressed dangerously. At nearly one hundred and four the boy was near convulsions. They'd had a fretful debate on whether or not to call the ambulance, especially because if they didn't get it down and get it down fast, the boy was going to suffer brain damage. After giving him massive doses of fever reducing medicine and keeping him cool they'd finally managed to get it to drop. He was out of danger, but not out of the woods so to speak. 

Kagome was currently wiping down his entire body down with a damp towel. Over and over again she dipped it into the ice water and ran it along every available inch of him. She could feel his muscles clenching and releasing as he went through another violent fit. The heat radiating off of him was so intense that it caused the room to become humid with moisture as he heated the water she continuously wiped him down with. 

Kagome leaned back, exhausted and shaken. She wiped the sweat off of her brow and looked into the his face. It was haunted as he fought through his fever induced coma, the sight made her chest ache. Several times he'd opened his eyes, staring at something none of them could see, terrified and in pain. It was like watching an angel as his wings were torn asunder. The feeling of helplessness had overwhelmed her in those moments, pulling at her heartstrings in a way she couldn't understand. She'd done the only thing she could think of, she'd pulled his head into her lap and stroked the long light tresses of his hair until they passed.

"Kagome?"

Her mother walked through the living room entrance. She was wearing a fresh pair of pants and an oversized shirt that had belonged to her father. She looked refreshed but the little crease on her forehead told Kagome she was concerned.

"Mmm? You need anything Mama?" Fatigue caused the edges of her vision to become blurred. She blinked several times to clear her sight.

"No, baby, but you do. You need to go to sleep." She walked over and pressed a soft, cool hand to Kagome's face. 

She leaned into it heavily, loving the feel. The temptation was almost too much to resist but Kagome couldn't take that chance, she shook her head up at the older woman. "I can't. I'm too scared to wake up and find him dead." 

Disapproval marked Fumiko's face. "I won't that happen, but you need to sleep." 

Kagome didn't say anything else just shook her head again, eyes glued to her stranger. _When had he become_ her _stranger?_ Kagome didn't linger on the thought. She still wasn't going anywhere, she'd have to collapse before that happened. She heard her mother's exasperated sigh and knew she'd won. She was as stubborn as her father, something her Mama never let her forget. She smiled up at her fondly, it was still radiant despite her lack of energy. 

"Go get some sleep, I won't be out for a while, and you _do_ need to be in good shape in case this goes from bad to worse. I'll call you if I need you."

Fumiko put her hands on her hips, "Fine, have it your way." She leaned down and kissed her daughter's cheek before returning upstairs. She knew that sometimes she couldn't control everything, if she pushed her daughter to get some rest she'd just sneak out later to do it anyways. Fumiko paused on the bottom step of the stairs looking over at her oldest child, a tired smile curling her lips.

Kagome heaved a great sigh. It was going to be a very, very long night. 

Inuyasha rose to wakefulness in degrees. First he noticed that he wasn't in his own bed, the thing beneath him was only a few steps up from cardboard. The other thing he noted was the Gods awful pain radiating out from his shoulder. Even breathing hurt. In fact, his entire body felt as if he'd been put through a meat grinder and shit out the other end.

What the _fuck_ happened? 

_That's right_ … he'd been fighting back a Lesser demon when a Minion demon had come from behind and bitten him, injecting his poison into him. _That's_ why he was in such damned agony. Minion demon venom, while not usually toxic enough to the people of his race to be fatal, it did cause severe flu like symptoms _and _extreme agony. That explained how, but not the why of his whereabouts. Curiosity got the better of him and he opened his eyes. The brightness of the room made him wince, but as his genetically enhanced pupils adjusted to the light quickly. His eyes widened at the sight that greeted him. 

A girl. 

She was sleeping. Her arms wrapped around her knees, her head nestled comfortably on her folded arms, her heart-shaped face propped up in his direction. Obviously she'd been tending to him through the night, judging from the towel crumpled in her merciless grip. She had long black hair that floated around her shoulders in graceful disarray, falling forward around her face like a curtain. Her voluptuous lips were drawn down in a frown, her delicate brows were also low over her eyes, bunched in what seemed like sleep-induced worry. She was beautiful despite the large bags hanging beneath her eyes. She was still in her pajamas, a tank top and a pair of shorts. Strange stiff, rust colored stains covered her shirt.

_My blood.._.

Memories of the night before came flooding back to him. She'd been the one that'd found him under that tree and dragged him into her home. She and her family had put him back together until the wee morning hours. He'd never met a human like her, or her family for that matter. Especially that mother of hers, a smile broke over his face despite his predicament. She'd been a very feisty one last night, commanding her family like a General going into battle.

Right then the girl started to move, her hands twitching and her eyes sweeping from side-to-side under her lids. Her body tensed and she whimpered like she was in pain. The sound disturbed him, put him on edge. He didn't want this girl in pain. Absently, he reached out to touch her, his fingertips brushed her smooth, bare legs almost lovingly.

Kagome awoke with a jolt. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, her skin covered in a cold sweat. The severe light in the room hurt her eyes and she squeezed them shut to alleviate the sudden ache. _What time was it anyways?  
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She squinted and looked around the room, her eyes falling on her companion. She was surprised to see him awake. His eyes weren't flashing at her; instead they were a soft molten copper color. They caressed her like silk as they moved along her body taking her in. She had to suppress the urge to shiver under the long, fixed stare. 

The fact that he was awake took a moment to fully register with her, especially being distracted by his sensual gaze. Irrational panic flared up in her without warning. She reached forward with a shaky hand, pressing her palm to his forehead to make sure the fever she'd worked so hard to break was really gone. It had vanished, his skin perfectly cool. Relief caused her to become weak, and she flopped back onto her butt unceremoniously. 

"Good morning," he said calmly, the corner of his full mouth tipped up in a lazy smile. It was the first time she'd heard his voice without the sharp bit to it. It rumbled out of him, dark and carnal. 

She bit her lip, a pretty little blush pinking her cheeks, the heat spread through her, warming her to the tips of her toes. She was sure she looked horrible this morning. Her hair was probably impossibly tangled and frizzled. She tucked a piece of it behind her ear. "Mm, how are you feeling?" The oddness of the situation tickled Kagome, how often did someone greet a complete stranger in their own house, who'd just hours ago been on deaths door for literally the first time? The next thing that struck her as weird was the way their conversation was unhurried, it was relaxed like they'd done this a hundred times over. 

He lifted his good arm to feel the stiff bandages on his chest. The bindings were tight and secure. He winced as his palm floated over his wounds. "I'll live." He said gruffly. 

The natural light from the windows lit his hair, like a halo of pure spun silver. It was fairly longer than she'd seen other men wear it, falling just past his shoulders. His skin had returned to its warm glow, the sickliness of death no longer lingering there. She did notice though, the same small markings on his shoulders and hips, the design dipping down below the sweat pants he was now wearing. She had a fleeting urge to trace the delicate swirls…She shook herself and not wanting to be caught staring she distracted herself with asking him a question, "So tell me, what's your name?" 

Funny how she'd seen this man half-naked, had her hands on his bare chest, and she had no idea who he was, didn't even know if he was a vigilante on the run, maybe he'd gotten those wounds being chased by the police? A flash of the ugly black holes caused her to shudder; if that was the cause it was a serious case of police brutality. 

"My name is Inuyasha InuTaisho." He offered off handedly as he continued to inspect his various bruises and abrasions. 

Kagome tilted her head to the side curiously, noting bother names references to the Inu part of his name. "Mine is Kagome Higurashi. Do remember anything from last night?" 

He nodded at her. "I remember everything up until your mother started to stitch me up, and then it's black." 

She shook her head in amazement, shaking her head and casting her hair in a tumbling mess around her shoulders. "I can't believe you lasted that long." 

A sudden warmth of pride flooded through him at the comment. He'd always had a ridiculously high pain tolerance. It was one of his greatest assets in battle, his impossible stamina. It had also almost cost him his life more times that he could count. 

"Can I ask what happened?" She gestured at his wounds. 

"I… I had a run in with a couple of bad guys last night." He looked like he swallowed something rotten as he said it. 

_That's it?_ Kagome somehow got the feeling that he was hiding something but she didn't push him anymore. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. "Oh, then how did you get all the way up here?" 

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably under the girl's watchful eyes. He'd never been very good at lying, even though his entire species relied on those lies and deceit to live, ironically enough. He'd actually followed the demon into the woods parallel to the shrine and had planned to attack him on the sly, a quick battle. Unfortunately he'd failed to take into account the Minion and ended up getting a nasty bite from the fucker. He'd dragged his ass up those ridiculous stairs because he knew the shrine would be considered holy ground, an area that the Lesser and Minion demons could hold no domain. He fought for a good line, something that was believable. "I was on my way home when I was attacked. I don't know who they were…" Which really wasn't a lie, he knew _what_ they were, but not _who_ and he had been attacked. "I just headed up here to get away, didn't think about it really." 

The girl's eyes widened, it was then he noticed there peculiar color for the first time. They were the most pristine indigo blue he'd ever seen, almost violet in color, a thick fringe of sweeping black lashes making them appear all the more luminous. They were sincerely the most gorgeous pair he'd ever looked into. They stayed like that for a moment, in quiet consideration of each other. There was no room for awkwardness, only curiosity. 

He broke their little staring match as his head fell back to the side as he heard a pair of footsteps heading down the staircase. A small woman emerged. She was middle-aged, but still very pretty. Her short black hair was cropped in a way that was practical for her age, but also showed off her bone structure. She was around the same size as the girl, maybe a few inches shorter. A smile lit her face as she looked on at him. 

"I see our guest is awake. Can I tell you, sir, that it's been almost twenty-four hours since you first walked in my doors?" 

A pair of surprised faces stared back at her. 

Inuyasha was stunned, he'd never been out for more than nine hours in his life, and that was after he'd nearly been cleaved in two by a horde of Lesser demons. He must have received an incredibly high dose of venom for that to happen. 

"Really?" Kagome almost shrieked. 

Fumiko's dark head turned in her daughter's direction at that, a very wont-take-no-for-an-answer look fell onto her face, "You need to change and shower, no negotiation. Mr. –?" She paused to look at Inuyasha expectantly. 

"Uh, Inuyasha InuTaisho, ma'am." He replied almost bashfully. 

"Is safe and sound, now get your butt upstairs Miss." She pointed to the staircase sternly. 

Kagome stood up, blushing. First her mother was making her aware of her hygiene, or lack thereof, and judging by the curious, but amused look on Inuyasha's face, was also airing the fact that she'd been unwilling to leave his side this entire time. Utterly mortified as she already was it was then she realized that she was still wearing the cloths that he'd bleed all over her in. 

"Yes, Mama." She picked at the shirt nervously and obeyed, climbing the stairs two at a time. 

Fumiko turned back to her injured guest and patient, "Hungry?" She smiled. 

The family made a couple of adjustments before dinner. Now that Inuyasha was past his frightful night they decided to convert one of the upstairs bedrooms into a recovery room. The big debate around the table was however which one they should use. Inuyasha wasn't allowed to move upon Fumiko's ordered and instead was given a tray of late morning breakfast to eat right in the living room, Kagome was only mildly grateful that he'd be out of earshot. 

Grandpa crossed his arms, jutting out his chin stubbornly. "I refuse to have this, this _delinquent_ in my room. Besides that, you should never put the elderly out." 

Souta gave him a bored look, "All the more reason we should Grandpa." He got a sound swat for the dry remark. He just continued to cast dirty looks while rubbing the growing knot at the back of the head, the old man had a pertain for using stray objects for target practice with the kid, he was starting to think he rather enjoyed knocking Souta sideways.

"Well, Souta's room's out. It'd take an entire day to shovel out that mess." Fumiko said with a rather pointed, clean-your-room-later look. "And I don't think it'd be appropriate to have him in my room." 

All eyes went to Kagome. She turned bright red, something akin to the shade of an overripe tomato. "Uhm…" Were they really going to kick her out of her room to let that gorgeous boy lay all over her bed? 

"Okay, well, after dinner I'll help you set up shop." 

Decision. Finalized. Mother's word was absolute. Fumiko smiled at her daughter sweetly. Kagome fought the urge to cover her face with her hands, instead she became overly interested in her plate and picked at her food delicately with her chopsticks. 

_This cannot be happening…_

_A/N:_

_So, pretty much I'd let this story fall to the wayside because I couldn't stand writing it. It occurred to me that I had to fall back in love with it and that meant a complete and total overhaul. This is my revised version, the first few chapters will be relatively the same in its general gist, BUT I am going to recommend rereading it completely because facts and whole sections of the story will be different or altered in ways. _

_I hope that no one is angry with me, I understand I'm pretty far into the story, and major spoilers some of you may have already read will ALSO be the same, but don't ruin it for the newbies! _

_All my Love and Apologies,_

_Leah Chae_

_PS:_

_Formatting problems fixed... Sometimes Mediaminer makes me want to hurt myself I get to frustrated. I either have HUGE gapes between paragraphs or I have like a run-on confused mess thats as long as the freaking Bible! I mean REALLY?_


	2. Chapter 2

_I don't own Inuyasha.  
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_Of Sparks and_ _Attractions_

It took about ten minutes for them to fix Kagome's room up for its new occupant. In a series of flurried but well executed moves she shoved all of her dirty clothes that had littered the floor from the previous day into her laundry basket, where they should have been in the first place, and threw it into her closet. She stripped the bed changing them out for clean linens. She straightened and tightened them so impeccably she could have bounced a penny off the duvet. She took a deep breath looking around the room, making sure none of her underwear was hanging out or anything else that would throw her into a whirlwind of embarrassment. _Wait_…. She turned on her heel throwing the window open to let in the cool evening breeze. Satisfied she'd checked everything off she last of the things off her mental list she headed downstairs after Inuyasha.

She rounded the corner and found him was sitting up on the couch alone. She could hear the muffled humming and the constant spray of water from the kitchen where her mother was cleaning up after lunch. She did note the stillness in the rest of the house though.

"Where is everyone?" She asked trying to keep from being so nervous, but she couldn't keep herself from picking at her hands. She hardly knew this boy anyways, so she really didn't know what to talk about with him. Slowly she took a seat next to him. Unfortunately the loveseat was on the small side, she usually only had to share it with either her mother or brother, but she noticed that because of Inuyasha's size he took up more than half of it. She had to suppress an involuntary shiver as her thigh brushed against his. She was careful to avoid touching him or getting close enough she might accidently bump into his healing side.

He didn't look at her, but she got the feeling that she had his _undivided_attention. "The boy's upstairs cleaning his room." He almost grunted the words at her, "I don't know where the old coot is, but your mother's in the kitchen." Something she already knew.

Kagome noticed that the reply was rather blunt, not so much impolite, except for the part about her grandfather, but it sure didn't bode well for conversation. "Oh." She looked the other way, pursing her lips, her mind racing to find anything that would fill the heavy silence. Trying not to succumb to the awkwardness she tucked her hands under her legs and stared down at her slippered feet.

"Sorry for kicking you out of your room."

At the sound of his voice she turned to look at him, he was overly interested in a small crystal trinket on the table and the way it was catching the light and sending dancing rainbows across his large palm. She had to choke back a chuckle at his bashfulness, finding it surprisingly _cute_. A word she would have never thought to associate with this big golden hued boy.

She felt herself shrug, even less bothered with him at the moment."It's not a big deal. I'm not worried about it, plus you need it more than I do right now." She smiled brightly at him, letting it catch her eyes.

Inuyasha was once again taken aback by this girl. Her entire household had bent over backwards for him, making him more than comfortable and welcome. It was remarkable, really. They had no idea who he was, didn't know if he was potential psychopath and _still_they willingly gave him food, shelter and clothing. This little slip of a girl had saved his ass from a night of excruciating pain, potentially a life-threatening wound… And there she was even shoved out of her own room by a stranger and shill offering him this beautiful smile. He bowed his head to hide his wonderment, hiding behind his too-long hair.

"Where'd you get the digs?"

The question pulled him out of his own head. He looked down at his apparel, fighting back a sneer in spite of himself. He was wearing a white undershirt that her much smaller brother had lent him and her grandfather's grey sweat pants. "Your mom gave them to me."

"Mm." She gave her mother a silent salute as she ogled his chest enthusiastically. The shirt was two sizes too small and was stretched to its limit over the wide expanse of his chest. His biceps bulged under the fabric as he rubbed his neck. The move pulled the bottom hem of his shirt up, exposing a good portion of the cut of his hip and lower stomach. Kagome sucked in a breath. Her hand itched to touch the flawless expanse of available skin, of his toned muscles under that honey colored skin.

She averted her eyes, fearing that her thoughts would be evident there. _Why _wasshesooverwhelmingly_ attracted _tohim_?_

She coughed into her hand and tried to focus on something else, _damn_but the boy was quite possibly the hottest thing on two legs. She peeked up at his face, envious of his long sweeping eyelashes. He was quiet, his face set in an easy neutral expression, but the way his hand floated over the injured area prompted to Kagome to wonder.

"Do you need more pain medicine?" She leaned into him slightly, ever careful of his injuries, wanting a better look at his face. She could feel her shoulder lean up against his gently. The friction sent a spiral of sensation through her. He didn't move away from the contact, so she didn't think anything of it.

His dark eyebrows rose as she said that, then made a quick decent into a scowl. "I don't need any of that sh– er, stuff." He scoffed, turning his nose up at the idea. Pain medicine was rarely used by his kind, they earned their pain and wore it like a badge of honor. Those who couldn't stand the pain were considered weak and unworthy of battle. Only in extreme cases were drugs involved in the healing process, as in the near death kind.

Kagome gave him a rather dry look, she leaned back away from him, her eyebrow lifting slightly. "Right, well, I think you do."

"Keh." He turned his head away, signifying the end of the conversation. He _wasn't_swallowing any of their man made concoctions. Certainly not that weak over the counter shit, those stupid pills rarely even put a dent in their pain, their advanced metabolisms eating through it at an incredible rate.

Kagome sighed, she wasn't one for acting all coy and pleading, but she'd do it if that meant he'd take the medication. Especially because she got the distinct feeling that a certain amount of male ego was getting in the way.

"For me?" She blinked her sapphire eyes at him, tilting her head beseechingly. Her hair was falling loose from its haphazard braid in silky waves down to the small of her back. His fingers itched, wanting to feel the strains against his skin. He imagined that her glorious hair would look absolutely stunning fanned out across his pillow.

Inuyasha felt all rational thought grind to slow halt in his brain as he looked on at her. Her long, sooty eyelashes were sweeping back and forth, her face tilted up at him. He couldn't look away from her, totally bewitched by her natural beauty. He wasn't going to give up that easily, his chin jutted out stubbornly. He forced himself to refocus, but everything in him was so drawn to her right then.

"K–Keh! Hells no, woman. "

Her eyes narrowed. Fine, two could play this game. She hid a devious smile as she planned her next move. She poked her bottom lip out just a hint, exposing the glossy texture to the light, it was her secret weapon. She made sure to keep it understated so it looked as natural as possible but still appealed to his sympathy. The only man she'd _ever_used the pout on had been her Daddy when she'd been a very little girl. It had never failed.

_"Please?"_ She added the hint of pleading as an afterthought, hoping for it to enhance the overall effect. 

Inuyasha swallowed against the rising emotion that boiled in his chest, he couldn't pry his eyes off that pretty pink lip, but it was way she said the word that made him simmer. Her mouth was made to tempt a man, luring him into sin and promising him that he'd enjoy the fall. He wanted to tilt her head back and crush his mouth to hers until they were bruised and swollen, until his lungs burned. He had to bite back the low groan that threatened to rise up at the images that paraded around in his head. He reigned in the need, knowing it would be damning in more ways than one, but he could feel the slow burn that simmered just beneath his skin.

"_Fine_." The word rumbled up out of him, barely discernable from the growl that vibrated through it. It was a testament to his willpower, that one word.

Kagome had only a split second to consider the consequences of her actions, and it was all it took for her to realize her mistake. The ploy may have gotten what she wanted, but she was now a prisoner to the man in front of her. The instant she'd met his flaming gaze she'd gotten more than she'd bargained for, his entire air shifting to something simply feral. She could feel the flush rush up over her, that same low heat consuming her from the inside out. It was the low baritone of the word though that set her aflame, there had been so much glorious _tension_in the single utterance. She bit down on the soft flesh of her inner cheek to stifle a wanton sigh. The space between them seemed too far now, all she wanted to do was close the gap…

They hung there, suspended in time for an eternity, but for only a second.

"Let me go get it for you then," The words tumbled out of her, more whisper than actual sound. It broke the spell and he moved back slightly away from her so suddenly it made her chest ache. Kagome forced herself to rise up off the couch and walk away, away from the strange moment that still stretched between them.

Inuyasha watched her go. She was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans that looked loved and worn. The denim hung off of her hips, and hugged the curve of her firm backside appreciatively. The material was tightly fitted letting him see the long, lean line of her legs. She had on another tank top, as the weather outside was still balmy and warm during the day. She looked comfortable and absolutely fucking delectable. He sighed, letting his head fall back against the back of the couch.

_Gods_, that girl was trouble, sexy ass trouble.

o O 0 O o

Kagome had given Inuyasha his Advil in one of the most awkward moments in her short life, but had let out a sigh of relief as she saw Souta enter the front door. They'd spent the remainder of the day in the living room taking turns on his various game consoles, with Kagome now sitting her Grandfather's recliner a safe distance between them. As it turned out Inuyasha was extremely good at all of the combat games and most of the racing games as well. He'd put Souta's flawless records to shame, something that had aggravated the younger boy to no end.

Inuyasha's fingers gingerly flew over the controller in a serious of flurried movements, his man effectively jumping from the rooftop and landing strategically behind the other armed figure, blowing a rather graphic hole in the back of Souta's man. He grinned as the boy threw his hands in the air totally exasperated, the skin bloodied in his defeat.

"_Dude!_ How? Just tell me _how!"_ He wailed passed his breaking point, his almond shaped eyes wide in disbelief. Kagome had to say, she was impressed, she knew her brother was an avid gamer and for him to go down so pitifully was a surprise. And pitiful it was, Inuyasha hadn't given Souta even an inch. She felt a grin creeping at the corner of her mouth.

Inuyasha just continued to smirk, "I've never been beaten kid." He boasted.

Souta glared at him, brows drawn low in seriousness, "I want a re-match."

Kagome laughed, "It'll have to wait Souta, dinner it almost ready." She chided gently, the smell of the meal was almost making her stomach growl in anticipation. Their mother was the best cook from here to Hokkaido. She must have gone all out for Inuyasha judging by the smell of sizzling meat.

Souta crossed his arms, his ego chaffed, but Kagome could also see the grudging respect. "Re-match, after dinner." He got up, leaving his controller on the floor where he'd sat crossed legged. Kagome went behind him, picking it up and laying it on the coffee table.

"Hungry?" She asked, tilting her head toward Inuyasha as they moved into the living room, she winced as she saw him slowly rise from the couch. His handsome face never belied any pain, but she knew it still had to hurt, even with his out of this world tolerance.

He managed a one shoulder shrug at her question, his eyes downcast, he couldn't look at all that glorious hair without wanting to fist it and pull her head back to expose the graceful line of her throat to his hunger mouth. _Shit_,but he'd never been this attracted to a female before. Frankly, it disturbed the hell out of him.

"Little bit," He grunted out.

Eventually all of them were seated on their perspective cushions, Kagome taking up the seat directly in front of Inuyasha. The aroma of the meal in front of him made Inuyasha's belly rumble loudly. He almost set his hand over the irate organ to quiet it, but his eye caught Kagome's smirk, her sapphire eyes catching the light and sparkling at him.

She arched a brow. "Just a little hungry, huh?"

He wanted to cross his arms, but knew it would pull his wounds. He settled for laying his hands on his knees impassively. "Maybe."

Yamoto settled around the table in a great show a moment later, positioning himself as regally as his stiff old body could. He didn't say much, all but ignored Inuyasha completely.

Fumiko smiled warmly at the bickering, not giving her father in law any of the atttention he was so _subtlety_trying to get. "So, Inuyasha, how are you feeling?" The medical training in her was something she'd never been able to shake. All those endless hours poring over biology books and listening to self-important old men lecture she supposed, made it difficult not to. She made a mental note to check his wounds as soon as she could. She scooped a bowl of rice for Souta, who was positioned to her right.

The question surprised him, his chopsticks stopped halfway to his gaping mouth, "Uhm, other than some slight discomfort I'm okay, ma'am."

The older woman reached over to the boy at her other side and set a warm hand on his forearm. "Please, call me Fumiko, or the like. I know those wounds will take a bit to calm down, especially after that minor infection. I don't want you to go until I'm satisfied those wounds are in good enough shape. You're welcome to stay for as long as you like." She said fondly. "I do think you should call someone though, at the very least. I'm sure they're worried sick about you."

Inuyasha didn't know how to react to the maternal way she fussed and fretted for him. He just blushed and nodded again. What he didn't tell her is that he'd probably receive the same, if not better treatment at 'home' at least clinically. It was the motherly affection she poured over him though that seemed to be like soothing balm on wounds that he'd thought had long healed. He really didn't want to contact his asshole half-brother, anyways. He'd rather recover here in this house with all the warmth of this family. He couldn't remember the last time he'd sat down at the table and eaten a meal like this.

Kagome observed the conversation curiously, frowning at her mother's word choice in reference to Inuyasha's infection. There had been nothing _minor _about it. Inuyasha seemed to instantly calm when her mother spoke to him. She felt the tips of her lips curl in a smile, her mother had that way about her though, always knew how to instantly quiet a screaming child often getting them to laugh in the very next minute.

Her mother leaned back, her attention back on their meal, "So, how old are you Inuyasha?"

"I'm twenty as of last spring." He shoveled a piece of meat into his mouth, savoring the homemade meal.

"Twenty, huh? That means you're two years older than Kagome." She nodded her head toward her oldest child, a playful air about her.

Inuyasha's tawny eyes flicked to Kagome's in surprise. The girl was kneeling comfortably against the table, she was glaring at her mother angrily though the image was ruined by the spoon protruding from her mouth. He couldn't help the easy smirk that split his face. "_Really_?"

"Oh, yes, she just graduated high school a few months ago. Now she's studying for her entrance exams." She tilted her head, an uncanny copy of her daughter. "What about you? Where did you graduate high school, did you attend locally?"

He shook his head, his lengthy hair falling over his shoulders wildly. "I didn't. I had tutors, for the most part I was homeschooled. I technically graduated high school at fifteen."

Kagome's brows rose, homeschooling with tutors was extremely expensive. It spoke a bit about this mysterious boy, and the fact that he'd been a high school graduate before most children were even _in _high school was bit odd. She leaned in as she ate wanted to her more.

"So does that mean you're attending University?"

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably, "Uhm, no not technically." _Technically _Inuyasha had already graduated with a degree from college as well, although admitting that would just be a little bit too much information about him. He'd been required to earn the degree among other things.

Fumiko's mouth formed a little 'O', interested in the young man they'd saved just this morning. It was incredible now that she thought about it, that just last night they'd been worried he might be in some serious trouble, "I see. So do you have any hobbies?"

"Mama! Why are you interrogating him?" Kagome interrupted, she could clearly see Inuyasha's discomfiture, it was obvious in the stiff line of his body. She didn't know why she was suddenly so defensive, in all actuality she wanted to know much the same things that her mother did. She just didn't like seeing him so cornered, knowing he didn't like the questioning.

"I'm not! I'm simply trying to get to know him, dear. There's nothing wrong with that." She turned to her patient. "Right Inuyasha?" She looked at him expectantly for an affirmation, her doe-like eyes wide and innocent.

"Er–Right." He said, resisting the urge to fidget. Funny how he could stare death in the face and not so much as tremble but faced with a mom he acted like a four year old with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "Uh…. I'm a black belt in Karate. I'm also trained in Tae Kwon Do and various forms of mixed martial arts. "

"Really!" Souta exclaimed unexpectedly around a mouth full of food, launching a few pieces of rice across the table. "That is _so_cool!"

Inuyasha smirked at the praise, he was earning some serious points with this kid. He could see the younger boy's eyes starting to twinkle with excitement; he found he genuinely liked the squirt. Maybe he'd let him win that rematch.

"Could you show me some moves? I've always wanted to take classes, but Grandpa won't let me." He grouched, giving the old man a dirty look. Soccer was the only allowance from him, as he was hardcore soccer fan. All things had to be approved through Grandpa unfortunately for the boy.

Yamato swatted the table angrily, "Absolutely not! You are not getting into that hoo-ha! You are going to be taking over this shrine when I die. You are my apprentice!"

"I don't want to take care of this old place!" He gave his mother a beseeching look, "Mom, could you have another kid and make him do it?"

Fumiko laughed, her face looking years younger with the merriment. She shook her head her short pixie hair shifting slightly. "Absolutely not! I'm way too old for babies now! I want grandbabies here soon." She eyed Kagome meaningfully, before sending Inuyasha a quick almost suspicious glance.

Kagome put her hands up defensively, red infusing her skin from chest to her hairline. Dear God, did her mother have no decency? She was embarrassing the ever loving crap out of her, "Uh-uh! You'll have to wait for those, sorry." She spooned a great heaping helping of rice into her mouth effectively ending her part in this ridiculous conversation.

Inuyasha was inclined to grin at Kagome's antics, having totally missed Fumiko's look. With the way she looked after her brother he could tell she'd be a wonderful mother, surely they would have an amazing grandmother. He could almost see her, a tiny baby with a smear of dark hair and bright eyes on her hip, another one dancing at her feet. A brilliant smile lighting up that beautiful face.

_Where the fuck did that come from?_He wasn't sure he wanted to know, so he shoved it into the back of his mind.

"I should hope so young lady!" Grandpa chimed in loudly, his outraged face turned the same shade as Kagome's. "I'll have you married before any of that nonsense!"

Kagome groaned, "Seriously! I'm not even old enough to drink! Give me _some_credit, geez!" She sputtered near exasperation.

Inuyasha peered over to Kagome, watching her expressions change with the conversation. He was really starting to get stuck on this girl and her family.

o O 0 O o

Kagome set the last washed dish in the drying rack and leaned against the counter. Her mother and brother were in the other room watching some anime. Her mother was probably pouring over her latest novel, curled up on under the lamp on the loveseat. She sighed, deciding to head up to her bedroom to see if Inuyasha needed anything before they settled in for the night. She walked into her now occupied room to find Inuyasha sitting on her bed, a beautifully carved picture frame resting in his hands. She silently moved closer and sat next to him, careful to keep her distance after this afternoon's incident. She was still cooling down after that one.

Inuyasha heard the girl enter the room, but chose not to move, allowing her to believe she'd slipped in. He didn't really know what to say, now that she'd seen him gazing at the old photograph. He'd seen it and was too curious to keep himself from prying.

They'd just finished dinner and he'd been determined to brave the stairs by himself. He didn't mention anything but he was probably healing at an accelerated rate under his wrappings, and was already feeling considerably better. He was still wary though as most of his muscles were still hella sore, a tell-tale sign of his fever fit from last night.

Kagome looked down into the picture over his shoulder; it was of her father and herself. She was perched on her father's shoulders, her tiny hands trying to cover his eyes. He was looking up at her laughing, his much bigger hands wrapped around her little ankles to keep her stable. She smiled just looking at it, she barely remembered that, but the then she didn't have to the moment was forever captured for her.

Inuyasha looked at her, his thumb stroking the glass absently. "You have his eye color."

She nodded, even though he wasn't looking. "Yeah, the only thing he gave me. I look more like my mother everywhere else. That and my hair, Mama's more brunette."

He hummed in acknowledgement, not wanting to brooch the subject of that tantalizing wash of ebony hair. "So, where is he?"

She shook her head, she could feel his eyes on her, burning her skin with his gaze. "My Dad died when I was nine." She told him, the smile fading from her eyes but she determinedly kept it attached to her face.

His heart sank as he watched some of the fire die from those sparkling blue irises. He mentally berated himself for his tactlessness. It didn't keep from continuing though, "From what?"

She shrugged avoiding his eyes, "I could never ask, I was too young to understand. It doesn't matter how he went, just that he's gone…" She could feel the terrible loneliness and familiar panic as she let the thought settle, there was something about the fact she'd never see her father smile at her or ruffle her unruly locks that made it hard to breath. Sometimes it was so difficult to accept that her father had missed, and would miss so much of her life. Her first day of school, graduation… He'd never walk her down the aisle to give her away to her husband, he'd never bounce her babies on his knee. A terrible pain erupted in her heart and she had to swallow the lump that formed in her throat.

"I don't have parents." Inuyasha replied, no longer really looking at the picture. He'd never told anyone that. Had no clue why he felt compelled to tell her that, maybe it was the bare hint of saltiness that was coming from her. Maybe he wanted to stop her tears before they started… Almost everyone at base knew, so there was never a need to ever really talk about it or think about it for that matter. The words caused a huge void to split open curiously close to his heart, he rubbed his chest.

"What happened?" She whispered the soft sound soothed his mood, making his mouth move without his brains consent.

"My father was… mugged and killed the day I was born. And my mother…" He took a deep shuddering breath. "I walked into her room one day and I thought she was sleeping. She was so peaceful. But… she wasn't breathing and I couldn't hear her heartbeat. She never woke up. I think… I think it was too hard for her to live on without him. I think she died of a broken heart." She'd barely reached her thirties before she'd succumbed to her fate. He could still see her in his mind's eye. She'd been in bed, curled up against the mass of pillows. Her pale skin had been as cold as her given name, her mouth curved up a smile, a single tear drying against the curve of her cheek. It had been so terrifying, that moment, as he realized what he'd lost. It would be forever seared into him, branded into his soul. She'd left him and went off searching for the father he'd never known. The impossible rage that had consumed him for years rose back up, ugly and powerful.

The gentle sweep of her fingertips on his bicep brought it up short, snuffed out the spark and left him trembling, and she was none the wiser. He brought dark copper eyes up to hers, feeling helpless and transparent in her gaze.

Her heart twisted as she heard him quietly tell her how his parents died, but she said nothing. Just laid a comforting hang against the curve of his arm, there was nothing she could possibly tell him that would make the feeling disappear. She never whispered an apology, she hated when people did that, she sensed that he'd feel the same.

"I've never told anyone that before…" He blinked, he'd never even told Miroku his best friend. The one he trusted his life with. He could hear the surprise in his own voice as he said that, his eyes never leaving hers.

She tilted her head at him, another of those wholly breathtaking smiles graced her lips. "Thank you."

He blanched confused at her gratitude, "For what?" He asked incredulously.

"For telling me about your parents, I'm sure it was hard." He felt the cool tips of her fingers slide across his shoulder, easing all of the rest of the tension from him unwillingly.

The honesty of her words collided with the walls around his heart, the impact causing them to fracture and crack. He stared at her momentarily alarmed; he'd never been in this position before. Things were always far too complicated to engage in conversations like this.

"K–keh." He stumbled, his gaze sliding to the panels of wood on the floor.

He was in _very_ big trouble.

o O 0 O o

Sunshine started to trickle through the blinds in the living room to cascade and dance on her eyelids, effectively disturbing Kagome's wondrous slumber. She grumbled and turned over in the makeshift bed, trying to avoid the intrusive rays. After about ten minutes of attempting sleep and failing, she sighed in irritation and decided to give in. Her bladder wouldn't be ignored at this point anyway. She yawned, feeling her stiff jaw crack at the pressure. She scrubbed her hands over her face as she made the lethargic trek up the flight of stairs. Still in a state of half-wakefulness it didn't even occur to her to knock as she shoved the door to the bathroom wide. All thoughts of relieving herself vanishing as she looked up.

A rush of hot steam swept at her face causing the remnants of sleep to leave her completely. The small area was humid, misty even. Moisture clung to every available surface in the ill-ventilated space, little collections of water forming and sliding down the tempered glass. The first thing she noticed was the floor littered with clothes and bloodied bandages as it was. She followed the discarded fabric like a road to the man showering in the open concept of her traditional Japanese bathroom.

Inuyasha had his back to her. His head hanging under a gush of scorching water, beads of moisture bouncing off the wide, chiseled mass of his back. Little streams of the liquid running over his trim hips, caressing the smooth, round curve of his sculpted backside, finally slithering down his thick, corded legs. Kagome could almost feel those tiny droplets mocking her as they enjoyed the expanse of exposed flesh. The light in the room glanced off his bronzed skin like glitter, making him appear ethereal. Those swirling marks covered the lower half of his body as well, curling over his legs and lower back. The sight of him in the buff was truly something to behold. She found it extremely hard to well, _breath_, _look_ _away_, _move_.

The noise of the door banging open must have alerted him though, because he started to turn toward her. Surprise causing his much darker brows to fly up, but as the sight of his chest came into view she was torn between continuing to looking at his face and glancing slightly _lower._Heat flooded her cheeks and she scrambled back, stumbling over the threshold.

_"I–I'm sorry!"_

Kagome slammed the door closed and leaned against heavily it to catch her breath. _Oh my Gods, did I really just see him naked?_ Humiliation coursed through her violently, pumped by the erratic beat of her thundering heart. She stamped her foot in frustration, her lips snagging her bottom lip as she felt true mortification wash over her. How was she going to face him _n_ow?

"Oi, wench! Did you get a good enough look?" The laughter in his voice was apparent.

The jerk wasn't even _slightly_ embarrassed! Wild indignation started to beat back some of her earlier embarrassment, her face twisting with it. "Ha-ha, very cute. Have you ever heard of locking the door?"

He actually _did_ chuckle that time, the low baritone warming her even as it grated on her quickly fraying nerves. "Ever heard of _knocking?"_

She rounded on the door furiously, indigo eyes aflame, her arms stiff at her sides. "Well, _excuse_ me! I'm not used to having a twenty year old freeloader taking a shower in _my_bathroom!" She spat at the wood panel in front of her.

"It's fine. Consider the peep show my thank you." He dismissed casually. She could almost see his hand carelessly fling out at her mockingly, like a king disregarding an obnoxious jester.

"Oh!" She growled out, anger blooming in her chest. "You're such an ungrateful _prick!_" This was the second time this guy had caused a less-than-decent word to fly out of her mouth. She stomped off towards her mother's bathroom, grumbling a series of not so nice adjectives about her newest guest.

Thirty minutes later Kagome and Fumiko were huddled around Inuyasha, whom they'd had to almost wrestle unto the barstool. His wounds were overdue for a good rewrapping. Fumiko wanted to make sure everything was healing appropriately, especially after the horrible '_infection'_that had consumed his body earlier.

The older female had forced him into the room, and by forced he meant politely ordering him with a stern lowering of her brows, and signaled that he remove his shirt. He made a face but grabbed the hem of it and pulled it up and over his head. With the flimsy material off he felt oddly exposed; he shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny.

Fumiko's brows rose, "Where are your bandages?"

"Oh, I took a shower this morning," He glanced up at her guiltily, like a small child confessing he'd taken broken her favorite vase and shoved the pieces beneath the couch.

She frowned, not liking that tidbit of information at all, but she relented slightly. "Well, I suppose you needed a bath. I wish you would've told me though, that way I could have cut them for you."

"No big deal, they came right off." He shrugged. It hadn't been, all he'd had to do was slid his slightly elongated fingernail down the length of the bindings and they'd fallen off of him. In the lapse of conversation he stole a quick glimpse over at Kagome. Her cheeks were a delightful rosy color, her eyes strictly averted, looking anywhere _but_ him. He felt the self-satisfaction tilt the sides of his lips. He knew _exactly_ why she'd been avoiding him in these last couple minutes. If the girl only knew how much fun it was to tease her. Granted, it was one of the first times he'd ever had a member of the opposite sex get such an intimate view of him, but for the few times he'd been unconscious and on the brink of death on an operating table. The look on her face had been _so_very telling as she'd stood in the doorway stunned by the sight of him. He'd almost immediately smelled the rich desire that had wound into her scent as she'd drank him in. And if that hadn't been enough proof for him, the half-lidded look of interest did. She'd nearly jumped out of her skin when she'd realized her situation, her tiny hand fluttering up to cover her mouth. It had been so damned adorable he'd completely forgotten to be bashful.

A sudden intake of air from the older woman hovering over his shoulder broke him away from his musings. She started to rest her cool hands against his overly warm skin, her prodding were impartial and calculating as she surveyed the results of her quick handy work.

Inuyasha stiffened under her ministrations. He did _not_like the attention, all of his instincts were telling him to get the fuck out of dodge before this intelligent woman put two and two together. He'd never been very good at receiving affection, not that he did often. In fact the only woman he ever let him touch at home was Sango, and it'd taken him near dying and a ten year bond before that had happened. Still he sat inhumanly still under the female's hands, letting them do as they pleased. He fought a grimace as he could only imagine the endless teasing he'd receive from the lecher if he ever found out about this.

Fumiko gasped as she examined her patient's lacerations, or what had once been his lacerations. The skin had pulled together nicely so far, all signs of infection absent from the tears in his skin. The skin was lovely pink and extremely healthy, a scab was already forming to close the widest gaps and repair the most extensive damage. It was every doctor's dream to see a patient heal so quickly and so well, she just hadn't thought it was going to take only two and a half days…

"Well, Inuyasha," She patted his shoulder affectionately. "Looks like your body didn't need too much help from me after all. I'm going to remove all the stitches and we'll bandage you up again."

Kagome's bright blue eyes shot up at her mother surprised, "_Really?" _Last time they'd had to stitch up Souta after a particularly nasty fall in one of his soccer games he'd had to wait over a week to remove his. It'd been _less_than seventy-two hours for Inuyasha's.

Fumiko had noted the odd acceleration in the tissues recovery, but also knew that depending on the treatments and the person's genetics that it wasn't _impossible_. Just… really _unusual_. She shrugged, "All people heal at deferent speeds. It's not entirely uncommon."

Kagome frowned at her mother's rationalization. _Still…._

Inuyasha had to stifle a sigh of relief. He'd been worried that his advanced recovery rate would have tipped them off to something weird. It was already bad enough that they'd been exposed to the strange wound. Luckily they'd accepted his vague information on the _attack_.

The older woman glanced down at the patient in front of her, "So are going to call your family?" Her eyes were warm, but he got the distinct feeling that she'd not be having him avoid the call.

Inuyasha looked like he'd just rolled in a large pile of cow dung at the prospect, but answered none-the-less with a, "Yes, ma'am." Knowing as soon as the words left his lips they'd been a lie. He'd been gone longer than this without a word breathed in the direction of his older brother. The fucker was probably _thrilled_with the idea that he was dead.

"Good." She affirmed grabbing a pair of stitching scissors and started in on him. Slowly she took the thread out and moved on to the next wound. It took about thirty minutes to unbind them. It took another twenty minutes to sterilize, smear antibiotics, and rebind his torso. By the time everything was said and done all three of them were more than relieved, _especially_Inuyasha.

"Well, then," Fumiko started, her hands balled into fists and resting against her hips, "I think that it is time for us to get out of this stuffy house and enjoy this beautiful day! Summer's going to end here shortly."

Kagome couldn't agree more, between her studies earlier in the week and then finding a dying man on her doorstep, she _desperately_needed some R and R.

o O 0 O o

Kagome's mother had been right, as the afternoon sizzled into the early evening the temperature dropped quite a bit. It didn't deter any of them though, as the entire household was outside enjoying the soothing weather. Her mother had taken advantage of the moment and was wearing her bonnet and gloves, buried up to her forearms in dirt. Kagome shook her head, she just couldn't fathom why one of her Mama's favorite pastimes was _weeding_. Although her garden was easily one of the prettiest in the area, in fact many of the guests stopped to admire or take pictures of the beautiful patch of earth.

Kagome leaned back against the wood beam behind her in an attempt to relax. It was quite an effort considering Inuyasha sitting cross-legged next to her. His large arms were folded together against his chest as he stared out into the garden. Why he'd taken up residence beside her she had no idea, but it was making her extremely nervous. They hadn't had an actual conversation since this morning's heated yelling match, and there'd been a very solid wooden door between them at that point. The memory of his naked body came crashing back into her mind's eye and with it came the heat. It rolled through her a settled low in her belly to simmer there. Really, the boy was gorgeous, but he could do with some simple manners! She flushed from the combination of frustration and embarrassment and seething remnant of desire. Kagome didn't know why all of these unbelievable and wholly perturbing things continued to happen to her. She made a face, cursing fate or destiny or whoever enjoyed bullying her so mercilessly.

Inuyasha sneezed violently, a chill running down his back. Someone was most definitely talking some shit about him, probably that bastard brother of his. He resettled himself, his amber eyes flicking to his fidgeting companion. He felt his nostrils flare wide as he breathed her in, he could smell just a hint of that familiar heat from earlier. She was once again sporting a healthy rose-colored glow, her face contorted in discomfort. She was obviously uncomfortable next to him, and he loved every minute of it. He was sure he'd be answering for it later when Karma came back to bit him in the ass, but he'd worry about it then. A grin so wide the slightly too sharp edge of his canine peeked over his lower lip.

Kagome couldn't stand another minute of the apparent one-sided awkwardness. She took a deep breath and turned her head toward him stiffly, surprised to catch the wolfish smirk smeared over his face."So how are you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

Inuyasha was surprised by her sudden question. His eyes examined her face and he immediately had the urge to laugh. It was pinched, her lips thinned and tense, and she had turned at him in such a way it was a wonder her back wasn't killing her. The odd tension radiating off of her contrasted widely with her syrupy sweet words.

"These ain't nothing woman." He scoffed at her, and they really weren't that bad at all, he'd been in much worse condition. A minion bite was something his kind dealt with on an almost daily basis. He saw her delicate dark eyebrow arch sharply, a very clear indication he'd pissed her the hell off. He had a sense of strange foreboding that not even a major demon seemed to be able to conjure in him.

"_Really?_Is that why you ended up bleeding all over my house? Why it also took me more than twelve hours to cool your body to a temperature that wouldn't fry that little brain of yours like an egg in boiling water?"

Inuyasha's eyebrows lowered drastically, casting them in shadow. The gold of his eyes caught the lingering light of the sun and glittering at her dangerously. "Whatever, little girl, I've had worse."

Her jaw dropped, eyes darkening to a swirling amethyst color. Mixtures of horror, worry, and concern flew over her face in rapid secession, the look shot through him like a bullet, stopping his heart momentarily. He inwardly cursed knowing he'd just totally fucked up by letting that piece of information slip. He scrambled to cover his tracks, his eyes darting around looking for anything that could change the extremely touchy subject.

An awkward silence settled over them, she'd leaned away from the large pole at her back, her slender finger come to rest on his forearm like it had last night. It set his nerves ablaze, kindling a growing desire that could turn dangerous. The look in her shimmering sapphire eyes caused his chest to tighten, she was so _concerned _for him right then. He felt all of his less than slick lies leave him completely the longer he looked at her. Her mass of ebony locks fell over her shoulder to shield them from the last bit of sunshine like a dark curtain. He watched in slow motion as her lips parted, on the verge of saying something when a loud clatter stole her attention.

Kagome's was momentarily at a loss as she took her grandfather in. He'd came crashing out of the room adjacent to them, nearly wrenching the shogi door off. He was dressed to the nine's, decked out in his most formal, albeit moth eaten priest attire. He extended one of his gnarled liver spotted hand out ominously towards the two.

"I have spoken to the great Gods in heaven! I have asked them to give me guidance on this wayward soul!" His gaze fixed his yellowing eyes on Inuyasha, gesturing as wildly as his archaic bones would allow.

The duo was so stunned by the outburst all they could do was sit there and stare in befuddlement.

"And they have spoken!" He cried out, arms splayed above his head dramatically. "They tell me that I must be rid of you! I must purify this _taint_!" Spittle launched furiously in the air after the offending word.

Kagome covered her now burning cheeks with her hands, horror creasing her brow. "Oh God, Grandpa! _What are you doing_?"

He turned his wrinkled face to his only granddaughter, a sincere look further crinkling his aged skin."Oh sweet Kagome, I am protecting you!" He beseeched her. He planted his feet, trying in vain to straighten his curled spine against his _threat._

Inuyasha sat up and the surprise on his face morphing to full on amusement. He chuckled at the irony of the statement. If only the geezer knew exactly who he was, and just whom was protecting whom. "Calm down, old timer." He chided roughly, his hand palm up in a show of gentle surrender.

That did not help the situation any, in fact, it only caused to agitate the already riled 'old-timer'. His cheeks reddened in indignation at the slight. The senior man reached inside his outer layer of clothing, producing a single slip of something. He slid the flimsy rice paper between two fingers, chanting a quiet prayer before flinging it with more precision than anyone his age should have had.

"Take _that_demon spawn!" He wailed.

Inuyasha's eyes were the size of dinner plates, disbelief plastered all over his face, "Did…. Did you just throw an _ofuda_ at me?" A slow boil of anger welled up in his chest, _seriously?_This old bag was going to throw shit at him?

Fumiko raised her gloved hands in front of her in shock, still conscious not to touch her face, "Oh dear!"

The geezer guffawed triumphantly, "That is your heavenly punishment!" He settled his hand on his hips, self- satisfaction puffing out his chest.

"What is this Gramps? _Sailor_ _Moon_?" Souta called out between barks of laughter, tears leaking over his flushed cheeks. He was currently doubled over, soccer ball rolling away, completely forgotten as he enjoyed the scene before him.

Fumiko marched from her place at her garden up to the wayward priest. "Yamato! This is absolutely unacceptable! You apologize to Inuyasha this instant!" She was shaking a finger at him, like she would if she was chastising a misbehaved pet.

The person in question stuck his bulbous nose into the air, "I will do no such thing." He refused, like a petulant child.

A dark look passed over the older woman's face, her usual cheerful bright demeanor falling away to reveal a real anger. "You will. Or you'll be making your own meals for the next week." Despite the ridiculous gardening attire she still managed to look quite threatening. She knew that if there was one thing she could do, it was take home his warm three square meals a day. Yamato was a terrible cook, something that Kagome unfortunately took after.

Inuyasha had to wonder if that was the power of a mother, 'cause if it was, it was starting to seriously freak him out. The woman reigned over her family like a patient king, but as it turned out that if you crossed her she was much less forgiving. The image of his stoic brother at the receiving end of this woman's tongue lashing appeared in his mind. _Oh hells yes! I'd pay to see that shit._

Yamato turned on his daughter-in-law, eyes narrowing suspiciously, "You _wouldn't_!" A hint of challenge in his shaking voice.

She smiled mischievously, brown eyes twinkling with something almost sinister, "Oh, but I would."

"Fine! I apologize, you demon spawn!" He _hmph_ed, appalled that he'd lowered himself to such an atrocity, then he proceeded to turn on his heel, a little less gracefully as he was up pretty far in years, and stomped into the house like a chagrined five year old.

Inuyasha was still slightly shocked he'd just been the recipient of an ofuda attack. The houshi would've loved that shit. He was still sprawled out on his back, his elbows holding his shoulders up of the ground, so he wasn't too surprised when Kagome leaned over him, examining the damage. He could almost, _almost_ thank the bastard for the stupid move as he felt Kagome's right breast brush against his upper arm, he almost groaned out loud.

Kagome had to appreciate the sight of him, his position letting his shirt ride up over his hips in the most alluring tease she'd come to like a little too much. Today he'd donned a red shirt, just as tight as the last with a pair of dark gym shorts that were still too big for Souta. His silvery hair was an absolute mess though; his bangs were hopelessly tangled in the strange adhesive that her grandfather made himself. "Oh no, I 'm so _sorry_." She whispered close to his ear as she started to pick through the strands in an attempt to dislodge them from the glue.

He suppressed a shiver as her breathe tickled the shell of flesh. She was so close to him that he could hear the fluttering of her heart. It made him want to grab her and pull her flush against him to see how fast he could get it to speed…

He watched her as she bit her lip, her small white teeth catching the plump flesh in the way that had to be the most innocently sexy thing he'd ever seen. "This is pretty bad…"

He couldn't make himself care at the moment, the unbidden image of her straddling his hips in his position made him whimper piteously. What he wouldn't do to feel her against him like that, the hot apex of her womanhood pressed against him… he felt his naturally high body temperature rise. She looked down at him apologetically, thinking that his accidental vocal slip was one of frustration over his hair. Oh, _fuck_, if she only knew. Their eyes locked, he was sure his desire for her was written all over his face, he could smell her scent spike. He inhaled it in great gulps.

"You're making it worse, Sis!" Souta shouted as he bounded up the steps, closely followed by his mother, breaking his train of thought. It was as effective as bucket of frigid water. He leaned away, clearing his throat.

"Shut up Souta!" She continued cautiously over her shoulder, the faint rosiness creeping up her neck the only lingering connection to the previous moment. She leaned back on her feet no longer able to meet his eyes, but continued to pick at his hair.

Fumiko rushed over, swatting Kagome's hands out of the way, "Don't waste your time, dear. There's nothing you can do. I'm afraid there's only one option left." She shooed her son in the direction of the kitchen. "Go get me the scissors Souta."

A/N

Hey all, installment Two new and improved. Hope you enjoyed, leave me love and feedback.

Toodles,

Leah Chae =]


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